Ikea has called a creative pitch in Southeast Asia which incumbent BBH Singapore is expected to defend.

The furniture store’s account in the region has been handled by BBH since 2013, where the agency has run its integrated communications in both Singapore and Malaysia as well as Thailand in more recent times.

Commenting on the decision to call the pitch was Nigel Richardson, head of marketing for Ikea Southeast: “Marketing communication – from advertising to social media and more – is constantly evolving and shifting how we view the world.

“We love to experiment and innovate. That’s why an agency review is just a normal part of our internal process.”

He added that the brand had enjoyed an “excellent working relationship” with BBH and that he was looking forward to seeing what work the agency would be produced as part of the pitching process, alongside other competitors.

“We understand and respect the decision to conduct a statutory pitch process. We are hugely proud of the work, outcomes and relationships that we have built with the Ikea team over the past six years and are fully committed to renewing these.” said John Hadfield, chief executive of BBH Singapore.

Over the course of the relationship the agency has developed campaigns such as ‘Ikea Bookbook’ and ‘the Ikea Human Catalogue.’